Dey said when the vehicles reached the Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, a group of armed miscreants attacked them, damaging the cars and assaulting the team members.

Dey claimed the police and district administration had been informed prior to the visit, but there was lack of adequate police arrangement.

Dey said Roy was undergoing treatment at MJN Hospital. However, district Trinamool Congress vice-president Abdul Jalil Ahmed claimed, “BJP was behind the murder of the Trinamool Congress supporter. Today angry local residents might have came out to question the BJP leaders why they came there. We are not responsible for this attack.”

Cooch Behar district Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar Yadav was not available for comment, but officers of the Cooch Behar police station confirmed that an investigation was initiated into the Pundibari incident.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaiprakash Majumdar said the party would organise a law violation programme in front of the Cooch Behar district magistrate’s office on December 18 to protest against the attack.